THE VAMPIRE AND THE THIEF- part 1
by esther carney
Summary: This is an Angel/Avenging Angel crossover fic. Angie is a thief intent on stealing a valuable diamond necklace. Angel has to get into that safe too - but his purpose is to save the world. See what happens when the two of them meet.


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ANGEL AND ANGIE CROSSOVER FICTION STORY

THE VAMPIRE AND THE THIEF

Angie, dressed in a black evening gown, with an imitation diamond necklace adorning her neck, had just broken into a small room on one side of the building. Judging by the amount of old junk lying around, it must have been used in the past as some sort of storeroom. Music from a party close by was clearly audible as she picked the lock of the connecting door leading into a corridor. Suddenly a noise behind alerted her and she spun around. In the shadows stood a tall, solidly built man, maybe twenty-eight, maybe thirty-two. Dressed in dark clothes with a long dark overcoat, he stared at her with eyes which seemed to pierce right through her.  
"Where do you think you're going?" he asked.  
"The party."  
"This isn't the front door."   
"No," she said eyeing him steadily in return. "And you don't look dressed for a party either, not to mention, as you said, this isn't actually the front door."  
There were never many pictures of Angie in the media, but Angel knew who this young girl with the long straight dark hair was from the descriptions he'd read. The girl was a thief and a fugitive from the law. Undoubtedly she was after the ten million dollar necklace stored in the safe. Angel intended to get into that safe himself, but not for the necklace. There was a particular Talisman which the vampire Razor possessed. If he didn't get hold of it before midnight Razor would perform the ritual which would release it's powers, and all hell would break loose - literally. The vampires would reopen the hell mouth, and Angel had no time to waste.   
"Get out of my way Ryan," Angel commanded. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into."  
"You know who I am?"  
"It was a good guess. I know what you're after too."  
"And I'm not leaving here without it."  
"This is no ordinary party, and the guests here aren't ordinary people," Angel warned in a voice which froze the air.  
"Who are they? Drug barons? It makes no difference to me who or what they are, that necklace is mine. So whoever you are, back off!"  
"Your greed will be your undoing Ryan."  
"Hey, I'm not in it for the money. I've got plenty of that already."  
"Then why are you here?"  
"That's not none of your business," she said turning around again to pull open the door handle, but in a split second the man held her wrist locked tight and had shut the door again. He'd moved across the room so fast it was hard to believe such speed was humanly possible.  
"I can't let you go in there," he said in a low voice. "The people in there would eat you alive."  
"You can't stop me," she said, pulling her arm away a little. Still hanging on, the man tried to pull Angie back, but in that fraction of a split second Angie had pushed in his direction, turned and thrown him against the wall. Although Angel was a much bigger and stronger opponent, Angie was a martial arts expert, and well used to using an opponent's strength and momentum against them. Angel bounced back off the wall like it was rubber, and as he charged again towards her, she hit him full in the face with her fist. It felt like hitting concrete, having no apparent effect on the man. Angel reached out for her once more, but Angie was too fast once again, ducking his arm, and turning quickly, she grabbed his loose arm and threw him. Angel stumbled backwards over some boxes on the floor and crashed to the ground. As he got up, Angie saw his face and gasped, feeling the hairs on her skin prickle in horror. The man's face had changed completely into a grotesque mask right before her very eyes. His brow ridges were now extremely prominent, and his teeth protruded down from his mouth like fangs. As he came towards her he emitted a low growl. Angie recoiled until she felt her back pressed up against the wall. This had to be some sort of hallucination or a nightmare Angie thought desperately. And yet she felt completely lucid. Angel grabbed her by the arms in a grip which was like a vice.   
Angie tried to break his hold and knee him in the groin but, before her knee could even connect, Angel slammed her backwards into the wall. He was incredibly powerful, very much stronger than he looked. "What are you?" Angie breathed.  
"The same as what's in there," he replied quietly, motioning his ugly head towards the door. "Only with slightly less gruesome eating habits. Now will you go home Ryan?"  
"I can't," she whispered. "A friend of mine has been kidnapped. The bad guy wants the necklace or else my friend dies. I have no choice."  
"I'll get it for you. I'm going in that way myself." He released her arms. "Okay?"  
"Sure," she said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "You're not even dressed to go in there."  
"It's not how I intend to reach the safe."  
"That's the only way in." Angie knew, having studied the building beforehand.  
"That's what you think." He pointed upwards towards the window. "That way."  
Angie shook her head. She'd looked at the wall previously as an option during the planning phase of this operation, and it wasn't feasible. No one was more experienced at breaking into places than she. "It can't be done."  
"I'm good at climbing, just like all of my kind. You'll see."  
"How do I know I can trust you?" Angie asked.  
Angel gave a slow smile, revealing the full glory of his fangs. "What, this isn't an honest face?" A moment later his face had become normal again dramatically metamorphosing right in front of her eyes. "My name's Angel," he said handing her his Angel Detective Agency business card. "Call this number tomorrow at nine and you'll have your necklace okay."  
She glanced at the card then pushed it into her brassiere.   
"Now get out of here before you become someone's pre dinner sn..." Angel was alerted to a noise the other side of the door and he pulled Angie toward him into a strong embrace. "Kiss me," he urged pulling her closer. Their lips joined as one just as two vampires wearing business suits burst into the room.   
"What's going on?" one of them demanded.  
Angel released his grip on Angie. "Sorry, we were just having a little fun. I'll be with you in a few minutes."  
"That's a human girl you've got there," the other vampire noted.  
"My girlfriend," Angel said, winking at him. "I'm taking her to the party."  
"Okay, but get in there now. Proceedings start in ten minutes. And you're supposed to be dressed formal for this. Today's a big day for us."  
"Sorry, I..."  
"Come on," one of the vampires interrupted. "Let's go."  
"I don't remember seeing you before," the other vampire commented as the group made it's way along the corridor.  
"I live right out of town. I just came in today for the opening," Angel replied. In fact Angel hadn't intended on being seen at the party at all, only planning on getting the Kalstani Talisman from the safe and then leaving with a minimum of fuss. The chances were too great that someone at this function would recognize him and then everything would be over. Well not exactly over for him perhaps. Angel, like the other vampires, would go on in perpetuity providing they didn't stake him first, but the world as he knew it, and everyone of his friends would be gone forever.  
A moment later Angel found himself standing in the ballroom amongst a crowd of other vampires, all literally dressed to kill. Razor stood on a podium, addressing the crowd, and the sound level of the music had been turned down.  
"So," Razor continued, "I now have the chant and adjuncts we need to release the power of the Kalstani Talisman. The diamond necklace was the final piece of the puzzle. We perform the ritual at midnight. You all should have a card each with the chant. Keep it ready. In the meantime, enjoy the party, for tomorrow we will have a whole brave new world to rule with an endless food supply!"   
Everyone applauded as Razor finished his speech.  
"Who are these people?" Angie whispered as Angel guided her over to a small table near the stairway.   
"They're not people. They're vampires."  
"They're what?"  
"Vampires," Angel repeated as they sat down.  
"And that's what you are too?" she asked, still wondering if she was about to wake up and find this whole thing was a dream.  
"With a couple of important differences." He leaned forward. "We have to get the Kalstani Talisman from the safe before the ritual begins, or it will mean the end of the world."  
"You have to be kidding." Angie said in a disbelieving voice unable to comprehend the magnitude of Angel's statement.   
"No," he whispered. "I'm serious. We really have to get the Talisman from that safe."  
"I mean, you're kidding about the end of the world right?"  
"I don't kid," he said in a voice heavy with emotion.   
"And none of these people here besides me are...you know...people?"  
"Not one. Not anymore. Most of them used to be."  
"I don't believe you."  
"See those mirrors on the wall," Angel said with a nod in that direction.  
Angie swallowed hard. There were no of the many 'people' in the room. Not even one. "Okay," Angie said after a moment. "I've got a plan."

A few minutes later the fire which Angie had lit ignited the curtains and was spreading rapidly. As vampires raced around tearing down the curtains, in an attempt to control the blaze, Angel and Angie dashed up the marble staircase. On the next landing they came face to face with two vampire guards standing outside the room which housed the safe.   
"This is an unauthorized area," one of them said.  
"I have authorization," Angel said.  
"Let's see it then."  
"So do I," Angie said pulling out a small revolver from the holster strapped to the side of her upper thigh under her dress.  
Angel glanced at the weapon in the girl's hand as he reached inside his jacket and pulled out a wooden stake. "Guns don't work on vampires."  
With a strangled cry one of the vampires disappeared in a cloud of dust as Angel pierced the stake through his heart, but the other one jumped forward and began to grapple with Angel. The vampire held onto Angel's wrist slamming it back against the ornately carved wooden doorway, causing Angel to lose his grip on the stake. Quickly Angie picked it up and stabbed the vampire in what she thought was a similar manner to the technique she'd seen her new friend use. Nothing happened as the vampire continued to pound Angel with his fists, his face contorted into a hideous inhuman mask very like the features Angel had displayed earlier.  
Angie withdrew the stake from the vampires back in readiness to try again.  
"Through his heart," Angel yelled.  
At that precise moment, the vampire hit out at Angie with an arm, sending her flying backwards across the polished wooden floor. He seemed to have superhuman strength. Regaining her feet in a second, Angie rushed forwards again, and plunged the stake through the guard once more, this time into the left side of his chest. The vampire let out a hoarse cry, as a cloud of dust sprayed up into the air and he was gone.   
Below them in the ballroom, the desperate yells and shouts of the vampires still battling the fire were clearly audible.  
Angie started to pick the lock on the door but Angel shoved her aside.   
"It's quicker to just go through it," he said, kicking it open. Striding into the room he looked around, and tore down a picture from one wall. He then spun around with a desperate look in his eyes. "It has to be here somewhere!"  
"It is," Angie said, already tapping along the wood panelled walls with her experienced fingertips until the hollow sound indicated she had found a cavity. "Through here."  
Angel bashed through the section where Angie was pointing with his fist, and was relieved to find the safe door behind it. Grabbing it he attempted to wrench it open, but it wouldn't budge. "It's vampire proof," he whispered in a horrified voice.  
"But maybe not Angie proof," she said putting her ear to the door. Moments later the safe was open.  
"Wow, that's impressive," Angel said, grabbing the Talisman and the necklace.   
Angie took the necklace from Angel's hand. "Thanks, I'll have that."  
There was no other exit from this floor apart from the way they had come in. Angie knew it, having studied the blueprints to the building prior to commencing the operation, and she always did her homework thoroughly.  
"Come," she whispered. "The only way is down."  
Hand in hand she descended the staircase with Angel. The vampires in the ballroom had finally managed to put out the fire, and seemed happy and relaxed again.  
As the two of them made their way towards the exit door, one vampire placed a restraining hand on Angel's shoulder. "Going somewhere Angelus?" he asked, holding a wooden stake to the left side of Angel's chest. Angie drew her gun and began to fire. Within seconds she realized Angel had been correct when he'd told her guns were useless against vampires.

A few minutes later Angie had been chained up alongside Angel against a wall.  
"Your little human friend fights well Angelus," Razor commented with a slow smile. "Hope she tastes as good as she looks too." He ran a razer sharp nail shaped like a talon down Angie's left shoulder, drawing blood. "We'll have to find out after the ritual has been finished," he said, licking the blood from his finger.  
Angel glanced at Angie noting the girl showed not a trace of fear.  
Razor turned his attention to Angel. "You know what happens to creatures with souls once the hellmouth opens don't you Angelus? You are going to suffer eternal torment, and I will be watching you." He scratched Angel's face with his talons, emitting a cackle of glee, and turned back to face his followers.  
The vampires all took their positions standing in a circle. In the centre the Talisman, the diamond necklace and a few other items were placed between five burning candles over the points of a decorative star marked out on the marble floor.   
"I'm sorry," Angel whispered. "I've let you and the whole of humanity down." He pictured in his mind the devastation, the pain, and the suffering which would surely follow. He wasn't so much afraid for himself, only for all the innocent and helpless people who were depending on him to prevent this tragedy about to take place.  
"We're not beaten yet," Angie whispered back.  
He glanced at her to see her working on the lock of her manacles with a small implement. "We're out of time," Angel said, as the clock struck midnight over the chants from the vampires. "It's too late!" 

There was a roaring noise from the centre of the room over the Talisman, as a cloud of swirling light and smoke appeared from the center of the star symbol on the floor. Then came a low pitched rumbling as the whole building began to shake. "The portal's opening!" Angel said.  
Angie released herself from her manacles, and quickly released Angel.  
"We're too late," Angel said, his voice choked with sadness. "We're too late."  
A moment later the swirling light and smoke subsided back into the Talisman. Razor let out a sharp cry. "Noooo, this can't be happening! What's gone wrong?"  
As Angel and Angie raced for the exit, amongst the uproar unfolding from the crowd of vampires, they glanced back to see Razor crushing the Talisman under his foot. "Useless piece of junk!" he screamed.  
"Something went wrong with the ritual," Angel said climbing onto the back of Angie's motorcycle, before the two of them sped away into the night.

Angie's safe house was still in total darkness by the time they reached the door. Angie opened the front door and walked inside, expecting Angel to follow. Turning around to see him standing in the doorway she said, "Aren't you coming in?"   
"Not until you invite me."  
"What?"  
"Vampires can't enter someone's home without an invitation, he said putting his hands up against the air of the doorway as though it were a clear glass barrier.  
"Oh, okay, well come in please."  
"Nice place," Angel said looking around at the sparsely furnished house.  
"Somewhere for me to go that the police don't know about, well yet anyway. You know, I'm taking a big risk, bringing you here."  
"You saved the world today. I won't betray your trust."  
She grinned back. "Thanks."   
A few minutes later, Angie was seated on the edge of the bathtub while Angel cleaned the gash on her arm with antiseptic. Her eyes fell on the mirror and she still could not get used to the way her new friend lacked any sort of reflection.  
"That looks deep," Angel commented. "I'm sorry if this stings."  
"It's okay," Angie replied. She glanced around at him. "Your face - it's healed."  
"Vampires heal quickly," Angel said, continuing to dab at her wound. "I just don't know what happened," Angel said. "They performed the ritual exactly as they were supposed to. It should have worked. I've got no idea what saved us."  
"Maybe the necklace was important for the ritual," Angie suggested.  
"It's crucial, but they had that."  
"No they didn't," Angie said with a satisfied grin pulling it out from the strap around her thigh. "I brought an identical copy with me. I was going to replace the real one in the safe so no one would know it had been pinched. So could someone still use this to open up that portal thingy?"  
"No. The Talisman was essential to the process. And Razor destroyed it in his anger."  
"Good, because now I have to get this necklace to the people holding my friend or else he's dead."  
"Tell me about it," Angel said as he finished taping a dressing over her wound. "I'd like to help."  
"Jason is a friend of mine. We, well, we used to be very close once. He's a totally honest guy, I mean he's not involved with any of my kinda stuff, that's why we broke up when he found out about it. Anyway there's a Mafia group headed by a guy called Penissi, who want me quite badly, so they kidnapped Jason."  
"And the necklace?" Angel asked. "What's that got to do with it?"  
"That's just a bonus for them. They want me, and I don't think they intend to let either of us go alive."  
"Do the police know about this?" he asked "I've told the FBI," she replied.  
Now Angel was really surprised. This girl was a fugitive from the law. The last thing he thought she would do would be to ask a law enforcement agency to help her. "You called the FBI?"  
"I work for them. It's a long story." Angie said noting the puzzled expression on Angel's face, "Anyway, they'll be there at the so called exchange when I bring the necklace."  
"I'll come too," Angel said. She shook her head. "No you won't. It's far too dangerous."  
"So what are Penissi's men going to do to me? Shoot me? Doubt if they've got guns now with wooden bullets."  
She lifted her face towards him, holding his eyes steady with her own. "Why are you helping me Angel?"  
"You did save the world remember. I feel like that makes us friends. Anyway, you remind me of someone," he said, thinking of his long lost true love Buffy. "Someone I used to be very close to."   
The telephone rang. Angie walked into the living room and picked up the cell phone from the table. "Hello." There was a pause as she listened. "Yes I've got it."  
Angel, with his supernatural abilities, could hear the entire conversation even from where he stood in the bathroom doorway. He listened to the caller giving Angie some directions, and was relieved to find the handover was going to be in a couple of hours. It would still be dark.  
"Put him on," Angie said after Penissi's men finished telling her their instructions. "I want to be sure he's still alive before you get your necklace." Angie spoke briefly and reassuringly with Jason then Penissi's men terminated the connection.  
Angie rang her great friend McFarlane who was head of the FBI Special Operations unit. "I've got the necklace. The drops going down at three AM," she told him. "Listen I won't be alone. I've got a friend with me. He's fairly distinctive, long black coat, dark brown hair, about six two." "Okay, well if the shooting starts the men will be careful not to hit him. Big Jim will be our on-scene man," McFarlane informed her.  
"Why him?" Angie asked angrily. "You know what I think of him."  
"We have another big bust going on tonight too. A case we've been working on for many months has come to fruition. He's the only good man I've got spare to lead the team to retrieve Jason."

After finishing the call to McFarlene, Angie made her way into the kitchen followed by Angel   
"What would you like to drink?" she asked as she opened the refrigerator door and pulled out a can of soft drink for herself.  
"Blood, but since I'm sure you don't keep any, a cup of coffee will do just fine."  
Angie looked at him askance wondering if he was joking about the blood but she could tell by his expression that he wasn't.  
"I heard your conversation about Big Jim," Angel said. "I thought he was DEA not FBI."  
"He's both. We both work for a secret FBI organization called Special Operations."  
Angel had heard of Big Jim, as had most people. He was a cop with a several billion dollar inheritance. A cop with a vendetta against the drug underworld. "Why don't you like him?" She frowned. "The first time we met, he mistook me for a drug smuggler. Well I guess I was, only I didn't know it at the time. I was tricked by some baddies. Anyway, Big Jim didn't give me any chance to explain. He beat me up, nearly killed me. So you can see why we aren't the best of friends. He's not too pleased about what I did to him afterwards though."  
"What was that?"  
"I stole a few things of his, including his favourite art collection. I didn't know he worked for us at the time. But even so, it wouldn't make any difference. Anyway I can't give the things back. I sold the paintings to a collector who really values them. A nice eccentric old man."  
"So since you work for the FBI I guess that means you're not really a fugitive from the law then?"  
She shook her head as she poured his coffee. "I wish. No I do some undercover work for them now and again. I really hate drugs, and in return they keep my pics out of the media as much as possible. But I'm still wanted in between times."  
"That's weird," Angel said.  
Angie laughed. "It sounds funny hearing you say that. I mean you're the weirdest thing I've ever come across."  
Angel graced her with one of his rare smiles. "Hadn't thought of that."  
Angie handed him the cup of coffee and they both sat down.  
"I heard that Razor vampire make some comment about you having a soul," Angie said. "Is that what sets you apart from them?"  
"Yes."  
"So have you always had a soul?"  
Angel looked away, then looked back. "No, for many years I was just like those other vampires. Now of course I regret it, and have to live with the memories of the bad things I did."  
"I understand how you feel," Angie said, her eyes telling Angel that she too had some experience of what he'd been talking about.  
"So tell me," Angel asked. "Why did you become a thief?"  
Angie swallowed down the last of her soft drink. "I was a kid."  
You still are, Angel thought to himself, but kept silent.  
"I don't really know what happened. Just everywhere I went I seemed to find trouble. Anyway I've been searching for my father. I've never met him, but I know he lives somewhere here in the USA. He doesn't even know I exist. If I wasn't a thief I wouldn't have the money which I need to locate him." Angie sighed getting to her feet. "Well I suppose we better start getting ready."   
A few minutes later, after a quick shower, Angie had changed into blue jeans, a tee-shirt and a leather jacket. Her dark hair was tied behind her shoulders in a long braid.  
"How many do you want?" she asked strapping a gun on each one of her ankles, with two in her jacket and one secreted in the back of her jeans.  
"No thanks. I wouldn't know what to do with a gun anyway."  
"Up to you," she said pulling up the zippers on each side of the lower legs of her jeans.

Angie soon stopped her motorcycle at the bus shelter as Pennisi's men had previously instructed, and feeling under the bench located an envelope. It contained the directions they needed to find the next checkpoint. Eventually, following all the directions, Angie and Angel were met by one of Penissi's men. "You were supposed to come alone," the man snapped.   
"This is a friend of mine," she said, indicating Angel with a wave of her hand. "He goes wherever I go."  
The man spoke briefly with his boss on a cell phone, then took both Angie and Angel in his car. Eventually, at four-thirty AM they pulled up at a large estate. Getting out of the car, Angel glanced anxiously at the fading night sky. He'd assumed, from what the instructions Penissi's men had given Angie that the handover would occur at three AM, and he hadn't accounted for all this running around which Penissi had forced them to do. It would be daylight soon in another half hour.  
The man ushered them through the doorway, and as Angie walked inside, she glanced back over her shoulder to see Angel still standing outside.  
"Penissi lives here," Angel said. "I can't come in."  
A moment later Penissi walked down the staircase into the lobby surrounded by a group of his henchmen dressed in suits. He stared at Angie coldly. "Miss Ryan. Good to see you again. Did you bring the necklace?"  
She indicated towards Angel. "He's got it."  
"You were instructed to come alone."  
"Well this is my friend Angel."  
"Angel," Penissi said with a slight smile. "What a sweet name."  
"He's a sweet guy," Angie said. "So where's Jason."  
"I'll bring him out in a minute. After we take your weapons."  
"You bring him out now or the deals off."   
Penissi smiled again. "I don't believe you have any bargaining room young lady."  
"Well I think Angel's about to leave with your necklace then," Angie told him.  
On cue Angel started to walk away. One of Penissi's men attempted to block his path and a moment later Angel took the man in a vice like hold beginning to twist his neck. The man cried out in a mixture of fear and pain.  
"Okay," Penissi said holding up his hand. "Let him go and bring me the necklace."  
Angel released the man and walked up to the doorway again. "You want me to come inside?"  
"Not really," Penissi said.  
Angel took the necklace out of his pocket and held it up for Penissi to see. One of Penissi's men tried to grab it, but Angel pushed him away with one hand, sending him flying onto the lawn as easily as if he were a rag doll.  
"Invite him inside," Angie suggested.  
"Sure," Penissi said. "Why don't you..." He stopped talking as one of his men brought Jason into view, his hands cuffed behind his back. "Well here he is," Penissi told Angie. "As you can see, alive and kicking." He looked back at Angel and held out his hand again. "The necklace if you please."  
"May I come in?" Angel asked once more.  
Penissi ignored him turning his attention once more toward Angie said, "You know that necklace isn't the main thing I want in exchange for the boy."  
Angie nodded. "I know. So I'm here, let him go."  
"Well the problem I see with that is he's a witness to all of this. I like to keep my affairs tidy Miss Ryan. No loose ends, you understand."  
"I thought that's what you'd do," Angie said. "Well before you do anything too hasty Mr Penissi, I should warn you the FBI have this place surrounded."  
"By the time they get here we'll all be long gone. And in any case I'll have a cast iron alibi, and besides there won't be any witnesses."  
"Well I think Angel's about to go home with your necklace again, unless of course you want to invite him in," Angie said.  
"He's not going anywhere," Penissi said, as the man Angel had grappled with before withdrew a gun and pointed it at Angel's head. In a blink of an eye Angel had moved so fast he seemed to blur, snatching the gun from the man's hand then punching him full in the face. Penissi's other men inside the lobby were quick to respond with a volley of gunshots. Angel clutched his chest and then his head. "Ouch, oh, deary me, ouch," he said falling dramatically to the ground and writhing around.   
"You haven't got good manners Mr Penissi," Angie said. "You should invite him inside."   
Penissi spread his arms wide with a big smile. "Of course. Come inside Mr Angel."  
  
In a split second Angel was inside the lobby with his hands around Penissi's throat. His face had assumed the grotesque proportions which Angie had seen the first time they had met.   
Every man in the lobby had their eyes transfixed on Angel, who by all rights should have been stone cold dead on the ground. Angie reached for two of her weapons from beneath her jacket, just as one of the gunmen spun around. She shot him dead, then as the next one turned to shoot at her she killed him as well. The others, having seen Angie's fast accurate marksmanship skills, quickly dropped their weapons. Pennisi, choking under Angel's unrelenting grip, was reaching for his own gun, when Angie said in a low voice, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."  
Then, to Angie's horror, one of the gunmen grabbed Jason, pulling out a second gun from somewhere inside his jacket and now held his weapon to Jason's head. "Okay monster thing!" the man shouted to Angel. "Let the boss go or else the boy gets it!"  
Reluctantly Angel released his hold, and Penissi staggered back to join his bodyguard standing behind Jason. At the same time Penissi drew his weapon and fired a shot at Angel.  
"That tickles," Angel grinned as the bullet entered his body.   
Angie had trained her weapon on Pennisi's body guard who still held onto Jason. Her finger began to slowly squeeze the trigger. She could see the hammer of the man's gun was right back, with the barrel up against the back of Jason's head. Although her target was standing behind Jason, such were Angie's shooting skills she knew she could still get him. Still she hesitated though. If she shot the guard, it was more than likely poor Jason would be killed, and if she didn't do anything, what hope did the boy have? Maybe if she hit the man, the impact of her bullet would make the barrel of his gun move away from Jason's head. And maybe it wouldn't. She continued to hesitate. Should she dare take the chance?   
Penissi whispered something to the man holding Jason, and the man pulled Jason with him into an elevator. "He has orders to kill the boy unless you surrender," Pennisi said.  
"Why would we do that?" Angie asked wishing now that she had taken the shot while she'd had the chance. Now it was too late. "You just told me you were going to kill all of us anyway. You don't like loose ends. Remember?"  
"You'll never see the boy alive again," Penissi hissed.   
"And you'll never see the sunrise again," Angie said, aiming her gun at his head, "Unless Jason is released."  
"It's out of my hands," Penissi said. "He'll be taken to a secret meeting place, and unless I appear there, he'll die."  
"And unless you tell me where that is," Angie said steadily, "You'll die."  
"Go to hell!" Penissi said aiming his gun at Angie and squeezing the trigger.   
Angie's reflexes were faster, and Penissi fell to the floor dead.  
"Quick," Angie said, picking up all the weapons from the floor.  
Angel forced open the elevator doors, and Angie tossed the weapons down the shaft where Penissi's henchmen would never reach them. Together Angie and Angel then raced up the staircase in search of their quarry. However Jason and Penissi's hired killer were nowhere to be seen. Finally reaching the roof, Angie looked down to see Jason on the ground being frog marched across the lawn towards the gate. "There they are!" she said pointing.  
Angel jumped down to the ground, causing Angie to gasp with surprise. It was an act no human could have performed and survived. She watched as Angel ran towards the disappearing figures, but, just as he'd nearly reached them he suddenly stopped hesitated and then for some inexplicable reason ran the other way, disappearing into the bushes. Seconds later the FBI appeared, but not before there was a gunshot, audible enough even from Angie's position on the rooftop. "No!" she yelled helplessly seeing Jason fall to the ground.  
Racing down the stairs Angie reached the lobby in less than a minute, to find the FBI rounding up the remnants of Penissi's men.  
Angie ran across the lawn towards the prone figure of Jason and reaching him seconds later knelt down sobbing beside his dead body. "I'm sorry Jase," she said the tears rolling down her cheeks. "I'm so, so sorry."  
Big Jim from Special Operations was at her side a moment later.  
Angie looked up, her eyes a well of tears. "Where were you when we needed you?"  
"I'm sorry Angie," Big Jim said, with genuine regret in his tone. "Penissi's alibi was his identical twin brother, who drove away from the house about forty minutes ago. We hadn't heard from you, and didn't know what the hell was going on, so we tailed the decoy and left this place unguarded."  
"You couldn't have known," she said, realizing what had gone wrong. "No one knew he had a twin." She caressed Jason's cheek. "I'm going to have to talk to his parents. That's not going to be easy."  
"Not your problem anymore Angie. I'm afraid you're under arrest."  
"But I'm on the job," she objected. "I always get a six hour head start! That's always the agreement."  
"This wasn't an undercover job, it was a rescue mission for your friend. Of course if you want to tell me where my paintings are, then I'm sure I could reconsider things."  
"I trusted you," Angie said, getting to her feet and wiping her eyes with the back of one hand. "You bastard!"  
"Hey Ryan," Big Jim said, his voice changing into one of stolid authority whilst training his gun on her. "I'm just doing my job. Now hand over your weapons." He paused. "All of them!" After he'd taken her gun he cuffed her hands behind her back then searched her finding two more firearms. "You know those paintings mean a lot to me. They've been in my family for generations. The one of my parents in particular..."  
"Well you shouldn't have used them as bait then," she said without a flicker of emotion.  
  
Angie sat in her cell that evening when the guard showed Angel inside. "Visitor," the guard said, before picking up a magazine and seating himself in the corner.   
"Why did you run away like that?" Angie demanded. "I was depending on you! Jason's dead, and it's all because of you!"  
"I had to go, it was sunrise."  
"Get out of my sight," Angie said. "I never want to see you again! Guard, this visitor is harassing me. Take him out."  
"Angie, I had to go," Angel said as the guard grabbed him by the arm to show him out. Angel glanced at the guard, unable to explain in his presence why he'd had to leave Penissi's grounds so quickly.  
Outside in the darkness Angel climbed the prison wall until he reached the small barred window high up in Angie's cell. Hopefully he'd get a chance to tell her what happened he thought looking inside. He watched quietly, like a silent shadow, as four men entered the room outside Angie's cell. One of the men held up a card for the Desk Sergeant to read.   
"I'm Federal Marshall Finlay," the man said to the Sergeant.   
"I'm sorry Sir," the Sergeant said. "I've got strict instructions from the FBI not to allow you anywhere near the prisoner."  
"From Deputy Director Doug McFarlane," Finlay snorted. It was a statement not a question. "We're currently investigating McFarlane for corruption," Finlay said.  
"That's not true!" Angie yelled through the bars. "He's lying!"  
Finlay motioned the Sergeant to the far corner of the room and spoke low so Angie couldn't hear.  
"Ian Barnaby," Finlay said, pulling out a packet of photographs from his pocket and handing them over to the Sergent. "Nice pictures of you renovating your home five years ago. Trouble is though, you were claiming for some back injury on work insurance at the same time. Guess you wouldn't want these pictures to end up in the wrong hands now Mr Barnaby. Want to give me the keys and take a little walk for awhile?"   
Sergeant Barnaby beat a hasty retreat whilst Finlay and his three followers entered Angie's cell.  
"Good to see you again Ryan," Finlay sneered, gun in hand.  
"I didn't know they still had vermin infestations here," Angie replied.  
"Still the smart-assed bitch you always were. I brought my little bag of magic tricks with me, remember them?" Finlay menaced as his men chained her to the bars of her cell. "Think you'd like to talk to us today?" he asked replacing his gun inside his jacket.  
"Go to hell Finlay," Angie said.  
He snapped his briefcase open. "I know you don't work for the organization anymore Ryan, but you can still give me a few names and addresses all the same."  
"You should no by now you're wasting your time," she said.  
Finlay pulled out a box with wires out of his bag, with a evil grin creasing his acne scarred face. "Maybe maybe not. Doesn't hurt to try though."  
  
"Who is this?" Deputy Director McFarlane of the FBI said after answering the phone. He was working back late in his New York office on an important operation. The caller sounded like a crank, and this was not the time for interruptions.  
"I'm a friend of Angie Ryan's. I just thought you might like to know there's a US Marshal, name of Finlay torturing her as we speak."  
"Who is this?"  
"Are you going to do something about it, or just waste time asking stupid questions?" Angel said.  
"That's impossible. I left strict instructions. Finlay's banned from the precinct."  
"He blackmailed his way inside," Angel said.  
"Damn," McFarlane said, running his hand through his almost non existent hair. "I'm in the middle of a big case."  
"I thought you were her friend."  
"She's in LA and I'm here," McFarlane said. "What am I supposed to do?"  
"Stop him."  
"Who are you?" McFarlane repeated.  
Angel hung up the telephone.  
  
Finlay was walking towards his car in the underground parking lot, with his cronies in tow. "Who do you suppose tipped off the FBI?" he snarled.  
"Dunno," one of the men replied. "Maybe that idiot Barnaby. Anyway it didn't look like we were getting anywhere chief."  
"I'll be the judge of that," Finlay snapped. "I've never had a prisoner who didn't crack eventually, and Ryan's just a stupid kid."  
"Hey there," a man called over as he came out of the elevator. Finlay looked around to see a man in a dark coat walking towards him. "I'm Federal Agent Jones," Angel said taking Finlay by the arm.  
Finlay shrugged off his hand. "What do you want? I've just spoken to the FBI already." Finlay motioned with a nod of his head for his men to leave.  
"I have a couple more questions for you," Angel said watching the rest of Finlay's men drive away.  
"Alright, but make it quick," Finlay said, glancing at his watch.  
"I'd like to know why a US Federal Marshal was torturing a prisoner."  
"Ryan's full of shit. You going to take her word over mine?"  
"You remember, when you got your Marshall's badge you took an oath to uphold the law? Remember that Finlay?"  
"I don't have to listen to this crap," Finlay said turning to go.  
Angel slammed him into the wall. "I haven't finished with you yet Finlay. So have you been upholding the law?" He pulled him forwards and then slammed him backwards again.   
Finlay drew his gun but Angel knocked it out of his hand sending it flying. "Answer me Finlay? I know what's in your briefcase and I know how to connect it up. Want to see how those electric shocks feel for youself?"  
Finlay took a swing at Angel, but his fist went through thin air as Angel's fist crashed into his face. Finlay tried to get up from the ground but Angel's boot hammered into his chest cracking some ribs. "If I ever see you anywhere near that Ryan girl again," Angel said in low tones, "I'll rip your throat out, and that's a promise, understand arsehole?"  
Finlay was coughing up blood as he tried to get up. Angel's boot connected once more with his abdomen. Then Angel pulled him up by the neck, holding him against the wall and punched him several more times. "If you know what's good for you Finlay. You stay away from the Ryan girl got it."

  
  
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****Next**


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